Biden allows Israel to target Hamas leadership after conflict, which he says ‘must cease immediately’
During a highly anticipated news conference after the NATO Summit in Washington on Thursday, US President Joe Biden implied that ending the conflict in Gaza wouldn’t require Israel to cease targeting Hamas leadership. The 81-year-old president, facing intense scrutiny over his reelection prospects following a weak debate performance last month, called on Israel to conclude the Gaza conflict. He also outlined a post-war plan for managing the Palestinian enclave that aims to pave the way for a two-state solution.
“It’s time to end this war,” Biden stated to Israel. “That doesn’t mean abandoning efforts to pursue [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar and Hamas.”
In May, US officials privately informed the Times of Israel that the administration would continue to support Israel in targeting Hamas leadership after the war. However, this news conference marked the most explicit public statement from Washington on this stance.
The president’s news conference began unsteadily when Biden mistakenly mixed up the names of Vice President Kamala Harris and his opponent, former president Donald Trump, in response to a question about his confidence in Harris.
“I wouldn’t have chosen Vice President Trump if she weren’t qualified to be president,” Biden remarked.
Biden allows Israel to target Hamas leadership after conflict: This gaffe came after another earlier in the news conference, where he mistakenly called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “President Putin.”
“And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said, before quickly correcting himself to refer to Zelensky.
“I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if she wasn’t qualified to be president,” Biden stated.
This error followed an earlier mistake in the news conference, where he referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin.”
“Going to beat President Putin, President Zelensky. I am so focused on beating Putin,” Biden quickly corrected himself amidst audible gasps.
Despite the rocky start, Biden’s responses became more composed as he continued to take questions from reporters. The president, who overcame a childhood stutter, has a history of mixing up names and misspeaking throughout his political career.
Addressing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, now in its tenth month, Biden mentioned that while both parties have agreed on the “framework” for a ceasefire and hostage release deal proposed in May, a final agreement has not yet been reached. He emphasized, however, that progress is being made in closing the gaps.
Biden allows Israel to target Hamas leadership after conflict
Biden did not specify when Israel and Hamas agreed to the ceasefire framework, and the significance of this development remains uncertain. An Israeli official told The Times of Israel yesterday that the sides are still two to three weeks away from an agreement and have substantial differences to resolve.
Over the past week, Israeli negotiating teams have traveled between Israel, Doha, and Cairo to meet with US, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators. While negotiating countries have expressed cautious optimism about the talks’ direction, Hamas stated on Thursday that mediators had not yet provided the group with any updates.
“For months now, the US has worked to secure a ceasefire in Gaza to bring the hostages home, to create a path for peace and stability in the Middle East,” Biden told the press conference. He stressed his eagerness to end the war, which began with Hamas’s violent October 7 attack in southern Israel. “Six weeks ago, I laid out a detailed plan that was endorsed by the UN Security Council, the G7,” the group of seven major industrial powers, Biden added.
“Both Israel and Hamas have now agreed on that framework,” Biden stated. “I have sent my team to the region to work out the details.
“These are difficult, complex issues,” Biden said, referring to the remaining differences between Israel and Hamas. “There are still gaps to close, but we are making progress. The trend is positive. I am determined to finalize this deal and bring an end to this war, which should end now.”
Biden allows Israel to target Hamas leadership after conflict: The president admitted to sometimes feeling frustrated with the Israeli government’s handling of the war.
He recounted his visit to Israel shortly after “the massacres that occurred at the hands of Hamas” on October 7—a trip during which he convinced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow aid into Gaza after imposing a siege at the start of the war.
“I met with most of the Arab leaders to try and build a consensus on what needed to be done to get more aid, food, and medicine into the Gaza Strip,” Biden said. “We pushed hard for this. Israel was occasionally less than cooperative.”
“I know Israel well and support it, but this war cabinet is one of the most conservative in Israel’s history,” Biden said, apparently confusing Netanyahu’s broader cabinet with the now-defunct small panel of ministers that included moderates Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, who left the emergency government last month.
“There are many things I wish I had been able to convince Israelis to do,” he admitted.
Biden reiterated what he told the war cabinet during his visit to Israel shortly after October 7, cautioning Israel’s leaders not to “make the same mistake America made after bin Laden.”
“There’s no need to occupy anywhere. Go after the people responsible… Don’t double down. We’ll help you find the bad guys — Sinwar and company,” he said.
Biden allows Israel to target Hamas leadership after conflict
Addressing another area of recent disagreement with Israel, particularly with Netanyahu, Biden stood by his decision to withhold a shipment of 2,000-lb bombs.
“I know there’s criticism about not providing the weapons they needed. I’m not providing the 2,000-lb bombs. They can’t be used in Gaza or any populated area without causing great human tragedy and damage,” he said, indicating that he has no plans to lift the hold on the shipment.
Despite this, Biden affirmed that the US continues to help secure Israel in other ways, pointing to the Iranian missile and drone attack he helped thwart with European and Arab allies in April.
“I successfully brought together Arab nations and Europe, which sent a powerful message for peace in the Middle East,” Biden said.
Biden allows Israel to target Hamas leadership after conflict:Discussing his vision for the region, Biden outlined his plan for managing Gaza post-war, aiming to initiate a process leading to a two-state solution. He emphasized that Arab nations would play a role in securing Gaza during a transitional period to prevent Israeli occupation after the conflict ends.
“The ultimate solution is a two-state outcome,” Biden affirmed. “The plan I’ve proposed involves a transitional process supported by Arab nations from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, ensuring peace in Gaza without Israeli forces remaining there.”
He stressed the importance of post-war planning for Gaza, advocating for unrestricted humanitarian access to the region.
Biden also asserted that Hamas’s control in Gaza is losing favor among Palestinians, despite recent polls indicating significant support for the group.
Biden allows Israel to target Hamas leadership after conflict: “There’s growing dissatisfaction in the West Bank towards Hamas,” Biden claimed, though recent surveys suggest otherwise. Support for Hamas has risen according to recent polls.
Biden addressed questions on the Gaza conflict with detailed responses, though at times his answers seemed to trail off before completion during the news conference.
He emphasized his qualifications to face Trump in the upcoming election, citing his extensive experience on the global stage. Despite being the oldest president in history, Biden remarked that age can bring wisdom if one pays attention. However, he admitted to needing to pace himself more these days and expressed frustration over being overscheduled, joking that he was receiving complaints from his wife.
Biden allows Israel to target Hamas leadership after conflict: Regarding his health, Biden stated that he was in good condition but would undergo another neurological exam if recommended by his doctors to assess his mental acuity.
The news conference provided Biden with an opportunity to highlight his achievements following the NATO summit in Washington. He praised NATO’s extended support to Ukraine in countering Russian aggression since February 2022. Biden criticized Trump’s approach, warning it could weaken NATO and increase consumer prices in the US due to high tariffs on imports.
Biden also claimed credit for integrating Sweden and Finland into NATO and rallying support from 50 nations to aid Ukraine.
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